Alvin Earl Fink

Alvin Earl Fink passed peacefully Thursday, November 10, 2011 at SPJST Nursing Home in Needville. He was born January 6, 1920 to Gottlieb and Lillie Schultz Fink. He was married to Edna Peters for 63 years. Alvin was a lifelong resident of Fort Bend County. He was a man of many talents and he loved to tell a story. He was born on his grandparents farm near Rosenberg, Texas. His German grandparents had immigrated to Fort Bend County in 1893 from Russia. This farm is now part of the site of the Fort Bend Fair Grounds. He attended Guy School and graduated from Damon High School. After graduation he worked with his father on the family farm. He was drafted before Pearl Harbor, reporting for duty December 21, 1941. He served in the U. S. Army from 1941-1945, in the famed "Hell on Wheels" 2nd Armored Division commanded by General George Patton. He drove an ambulance as part of the 48th Armored Medical Battalion which was an American military medical/surgical unit attached to the 2nd Armored Division throughout World War II. The 48th participated in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Normandy. On December 11, 1942 the 48th left Fort Dix, New Jersey for North Africa, landing at Casablanca on December 24, 1942. In the spring of 1943 they proceeded to Arzew in Algeria, then on to Tunis, then Sicily and then to Tidworth Barracks, England for an extended period of time. The battalion landed on Omaha Beach on June 9, 1944. The battalion stayed with the 2nd Armored Division throughout the advance on into Germany and then to Berlin. He received the Bronze Star for rescuing wounded civilians during an enemy barrage in France. After the war he returned to the Needville area and continued to farm. In 1948, he married Edna Peters. Together they farmed cotton, corn, and sorghum in the Tadpole Community. After a bad hailstorm in 1968, Alvin went to work at Farm and Ranch Supply in Needville, Texas for 5 years while he continued to farm. In 1982 he went to work as a Park Ranger at the new Brazos Bend State Park. He retired from the Park in 1992. He gradually turned over control of the Farm to his two sons after his Park retirement. He was a longtime member of Sts Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Damon and the KJT. He is survived by his wife Edna and his children and their families: Carol and Robert Brewer, Charlotte and Richard Mills, both of Damon, Texas; Loretta and Thomas Powell of Tomball, Texas; David and Carolyn Fink, and Charles Fink of Needville, Texas. He is survived by 11 grandchildren: Major Troy Mills and his wife Chelsea of Fort Hood, Texas currently serving in Iraq, Major Travis Mills and his wife Lisa of Fort Lewis, Washington, Scott Brewer of Arlington, VA, Elizabeth Brewer of Marble Falls, TX; Michelle Powell and Russell McCammon of Montgomery, TX, Kurt Powell of Tomball, TX, Nicole Fink of Huntsville, TX, Kayla Fink of Stephenville, TX, Dustin Temple of Kingsville, TX , C. J. Fink and Dustin Bean Fink all of Needville, TX. He is survived by 3 great grand children: Taylor Caluwe, Austin Mills, and Dalton McCammon. He is survived by his sisters Lorine Kilsby, Willie Mae Hawkins, Florine Sims and his brother Eugene Fink of West Columbia, Texas and his sisters-in law Evelin Kolar and Liddie White of Needville, Texas. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wifes parents Leo and Julia Barcak Peters; his brother George Fink; sisters-in-law Ruth Fink, Lavonia Fink, Alice Fink, Ruth Peters, Millie Pavlicek, and Vlasta Cumings; brothers-in-law Richard Hawkins, Gilbert Kilsby, Milton Sims, Arnold Peters, Louis Cumings, Paul White and Fred Pavlicek; two nephews Bryan Fink and Victor Hawkins; and one niece Linda Pavlicek Hartman. Serving as Pall Bearers are his grandsons: Travis Mills, Scott Brewer, Kurt Powell, C.J. Fink, Dustin Temple and Dustin Fink. Special and heartfelt thanks to the staff and nurses of the SPJST Home. For those wishing, memorial contributions may be made to the walking trail fund for the S.P.J.S.T. Rest Home No. 2, P.O. Box 347, Needville, TX 77461. Funeral services for Alvin Earl Fink, of Needville, are scheduled for 10 AM, Monday, November 14, 2011 at Sts Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Damon, Texas. Burial will follow in Sts Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery in Damon, Texas. Visitation will be held from 4 PM until 7 PM with a wake service and rosary at 6 PM, Sunday, November 13, 2011 at the Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home in Rosenberg Texas.

Tributes

Alvin Earl Fink

January 6, 1920 - November 10, 2011